Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FOOD BASED ON POPCCORN AND CHEESE, AND RESPECTIVE
PRODUCTION METHOD
* * *
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the food industry,
and particularly it relates to a popcorn- and cheese-based
food as well as a method for the production thereof.
The present application claims the priority of Italian
Patent Application BS2011A000158, filed on November 22,
2011.
State of the Art
It has been known to produce popcorn-based foods in
the food industry. For the purposes of the present
invention, the term popcorn refers to corn which is cooked
up to make it explode, i.e. to cause the endosperm to be
ejected out of the grains.
Foods containing popcorn and melted cheese with a high
moisture content have been proposed, generally in the form
of breaks or snacks sold through the retail channel.
Usually, these products should be stored in a cold
environment, such as a refrigerated section .of a
supermarket.
For the purposes of the present invention, cheeses
with a high moisture content are defined as those cheeses
having a moisture content of more than 35% when used ,for =-
the production of the snack. Cheeses with a low moisture
content are defined as those cheeses having a moisture
content of less than 35% when used for the production ,of
the snack.
The methods employed to measure the moisture content.
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are known to one skilled in the art.
European Patent EP 0423650 describes a snack
comprising a plurality of superimposed, alternating layers
of melted Mozzarella cheese, which is a soft texture cheese
with a high moisture content, and milled popcorn.
Particularly, Mozzarella cheese is obtained from partially
skimmed milk (col. 2, lines 43 - 45). The first layer of
the snack, i.e. the uniform layer forming the base thereof,
is prepared by adding grated Mozzarella cheese to a
container and then heating the Mozzarella cheese up to melt
it; the melted Mozzarella cheese is subsequently frozen and
covered with a layer of grated popcorn obtained by milling
a plurality of exploded corn grains. A certain amount of
grated Mozzarella cheese is delivered onto the popcorn
layer so as to fill the gaps yet without completely
covering the flakes of popcorn; the second layer of
Mozzarella cheese is also heated up to melt it.
Nevertheless at this step it is important to prevent the
melted Mozzarella cheese from completely enclosing the
flakes of popcorn as the moisture released from the
Mozzarella cheese would irreversibly spoil the popcorn
(col. 3, lines 48-55, col. 4, lines 5-12), thereby
preventing a successful preservation thereof; moisture
would promote the growth of mould in the product. However,
, 25 the amount of Mozzarella pheese used to form the
corresponding second layer must be sufficient to ensure a
minimum cohesion between the layers of the snack (col. 3,
lines 48-55). Practically, the amount of Mozzarella cheese
forming the second layer is generally from 1.5 to 2 times
the amount used to form the first layer. Immediately after
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the second layer of Mozzarella cheese has been melted, the
snack is rapidly cooled in a freezer up to a temperature of
approximately -23 C. The duration of the cooling step is
limited to 15 seconds. The cooled snack is then lyophilized
and packaged.
The above-described snack suffers from some major
drawbacks. For example, its three-layer structure is not
particularly cohesive; the snack crumbles easily, resulting
in a waste of product and making its consumption
unpleasant. Furthermore, the snack can only be preserved by
lyophilization as the Mozzarella cheese tends to release
much of its initial moisture content; the lyophilization
method requires high amounts of energy and time.
US Patent No. 2,222,560 describes a snack based on
entire popcorn grains each coated with a cheese which is
mixed with fat at a ratio of 35/65% by weight. In other
words, most of the coating consists of fat.
Other examples of known snacks are provided in US
Patents Nos. 5,298,268 and 4,904,487.
Canadian Patent Application CA-A-2087211 describes a
snack comprising a Cheddar type melted cheese, which falls
within the definition given above for a cheese with a high
moisture content - even if ripened -. along with .grated
popcorn. The snack includes a single layer obtained by pre-
mixing the popcorn flakes with the cheese prior to melting
the cheese. Also in this case, the snack is lyophilized to
allow the snack to be preserved over time.
Undoubtedly, a snack which does not make use of milled
popcorn is attractive for a large group of consumers. For
example, it may be more practical to consume a snack
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wherein the popcorn grains are discrete and not in the form
of a bar. The above-described snacks cannot be produced
using entire popcorn grains because such grains cannot be
preserved for a long time.
Generally, it is desirable to minimize the amount of
energy used for the production of popcorn- and cheese-based
snacks, particularly the electrical energy used for the
lyophilization, as well as to reduce the calorie intake
provided by the snacks:
Object and Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
popcorn- and cheese-based food which is not required to be
lyophilized in order to be preserved for a long time, even
if the food is not treated with preservatives.
It is another object of the present invention to
provide a popcorn- and cheese-based food which retains its
own organoleptic characteristics almost unchanged for a
long time without growing mouldy, even if it is not stored
in a refrigerator and even if its fat content is low or
zero.
It is a further object of the present invention to
provide a food comprising entire or substantially entire
popcorn grains as well as cheese, which is simple to be
produced and mechanically stable in the structure, i.e. a
food which does nqt crumble.
It is still another object of the present invention to
provide a method for the production of the afore said food
which requires a minimum consumption of energy.
Therefore, in a first aspect, the present invention
relates to a popcorn- and cheese-based food according to
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claim 1.
Particularly, the food according to the invention
comprises at least one popcorn grain substantially entire
and coated, completely or partially, with at least a first
layer of a first melted cheese directly in .contact with the
popcorn grain, wherein:
a) said first melted cheese is of a low moisture
content type, i.e., it has an initial moisture content of
less than 35% prior to be melted on popcorns, or
alternatively,
b) said first melted cheese is cooked and its moisture
after cooking is lower than 8 %.
When compared to known foods, the food according to
the present invention is characterized in that the finished
food has a moisture content of less than 8% and it is not
lyophilized whether the first cheese has either the afore
said feature a) or the afore said feature b).
Unlike traditional solutions, the first cheese in the
food according to the invention is either a cheese with a
low initial moisture content or a cheese which is cooked
and not simply melted regardless of the initial moisture
content thereof.
The cheese is melted at medium temperatures without
forming neither air bubbles in the cheese nor crispy crusts
of cheese, and especially, the melted cheese substantially
retains its initial moisture content with moisture losses
of less than 10%.
The cheese is cooked at high temperatures with the
formation of small air bubbles during cooking; the cooked
=cheese remains-crispy and its residual moisture content is
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significantly lower than the initial moisture content, with
moisture losses of more than 30% as compared to either the
cheese prior to be cooked or the same cheese as simply
melted.
According to the definition given above, the first
cheese has a moisture content of less than 35% just prior
to be melted onto the popcorn grain; otherwise, when the
first cheese is cooked, it has a very low moisture content
after being cooked, i.e. the moisture content of the food
is less than 8%, preferably less than 5%, and more
preferably in the range of 2%-5%.
However, a first cheese with a low initial moisture
content retains a low moisture content after being melted
onto the popcorn. Similarly, a first cheese loses most of
its moisture after being cooked (regardless of its initial
moisture content).
Main features of the most popular cheeses are shown,
for example, in Table 14.1, pages 495-496 of the "Treaty of
Dairy Technology" by Ottavio Salvadori del Prato, CALDERINI
EDAGRICOLE eds., ISBN 88-206-4110-0.
A cheese suitable for the production of the snack
according to the present invention is, for example, the
Grana cheese which has a moisture content of approximately
32-33%; once this cheese has been cooked, its moisture
conte,nt readily falls below 5%. Under these-conditions, the
amount of residual moisture in the cheese which eventually
would, be absorbed by the endosperm of the popcorn is
minimal, and the salt content of the _ cheese, whose
concentration increases as the moisture is reduced, hinders
the phenomena of degradation of the popcorn itself, which
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therefore can be preserved for a long time without growing
mouldy even if the food is not treated with preservatives
and even if it is not stored in a refrigerator.
In other words, the food according to the present
invention is preserved for a long time, for example six
months or one year, even if it is not added with
preservatives nor stored in a refrigerator, due to both the
minimal residual moisture content of the cheese which could
be potentially absorbed by the popcorn and the relatively
high salt content thereof.
To this regard, it is important that the first layer
of the first cheese is directly contacting the endosperm of
the popcorn; both the reduced moisture content and the salt
presence protect the popcorn from phenomena of degradation.
Advantageously, the just-described arrangement allows
obtaining the food from entire popcorn grains which are not
milled. Milling the popcorn grains into small-sized flakes
undoubtedly facilitates the method of lyophilization of the
snacks and allows the moisture absorbed by the cheese to be
spread across a large surface of the popcorn. In the food
according to the present invention, lyophilization is not
required as the amount of moisture which can be absorbed by
the popcorn is tolerable in terms of preservation of .the
food.
- 25 Clearly, in order to produce the snack -according to
the present invention, the Mozzarella cheese cannot be used
as it has a moisture content of 38-45%. To this regard, EP
0423650 does not provide useful teachings to one skilled in
the art.
The snack according to the 'present invention is not
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produced with the addition of fat. In other words, none of
the method steps contemplates the addition of animal or
plant fat to a snack ingredient. Therefore, the food is
free of added fat, i.e. it does not contain animal and
plant fat beyond that naturally contained in the above-
described ingredients.
For the purposes of the present invention, the phrase
entire or substantially entire popcorn grain refers to
popcorn which is not subjected to industrial milling
methods, i.e. popcorn which is not systematically milled.
Accordingly, this definition includes popcorn grains
lacking a portion thereof for accidental and unexpected
reasons.
Preferably, the food according to the. present
invention comprises a plurality of substantially entire
popcorn grains which are each physically separated from the
others, in which each popcorn grain is completely or
partially coated with at least one first layer of either a
first cheese of the low moisture content type or a first
cooked cheese directly contacting the popcorn grain.
Preferably, the first type of cheese is a hard texture
cheese which is ripened for at least 3 months prior to be
cooked and melted onto the popcorn. For example, the first
cheese is selected from the group consisting of Parmigiano
Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Toscano,
Pecorino Sardo, Sbrinz, Bagoss, semi-ripened or ripened
Piave, Asiago, Montasio, or the first cheese is obtained by
combining one or more of the above cheeses.
Preferably, each layer of melted cheese has a
thickness in the range.of 0.5+5 mm.
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In one embodiment of the present invention, the food
comprises at least a second layer of a second cheese
enclosing partially or completely the first layer of the
first cheese. The second cheese is equivalent to the first
cheese in terms of moisture content and/or chemical and
organoleptic characteristics, or else it is a cheese with a
high moisture content and different chemical and
organoleptic characteristics. In this embodiment, the first
layer of cheese protects the popcorn grain as explained
above, and therefore the second layer of cheese can be
obtained by cooking or simply melting a cheese, for example
Mozzarella cheese, having an initial moisture content of
more than 35%.
In an embodiment the food of the present invention
comprises additional ingredients such as chopped salt and/
or pepper and/ or spices and/ or herbs dispersed in one or
more of the cheese layers, or between the same cheese
layers. In addition or alternatively, one or more of the
layers of cheese are coated with a sauce reduction such as
tomato sauce, ketchup, etc.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention,- a layer
of liquid corn starch is applied outwardly to at least one
of the layers of cheese, and any flavours are adhered to
the starch. In other words, corn starch is used as a
natL4a.1 glue for flavors or other ingredients which are
desired to be associated with the food.
In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a
method for producing a popcorn- and cheese=based _food
according to claim 10.
= Particularly the method comprises the sequential steps
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of:
a) positioning a popcorn grain substantially entire on
a first sized amount of a first cheese or positioning a
first sized amount of the first cheese on the popcorn
grain;
b) heating the first amount of the first cheese up to
obtain the melting directly on the surface of the popcorn
grain and the partial or whole inclusion of the popcorn
grain in a first layer of the first cheese;
c) cooling the so obtained food;
wherein said step b) provides for the melting of the
first cheese without cooking and the first cheese has an
initial moisture content of less than 35%, or it provides
for the melting and cooking of the first cheese
independently from its moisture level and the finished food
has a moisture content lower than 8%.
By melting a first cheese with a low moisture content
directly onto the surface of the respective popcorn grain,
the food thus obtained can be preserved over time without
the requirement of using preservatives or storing the food
in a refrigerator. Similarly, by melting- and cooking the
first cheese regardless of the moisture content of .the
first cheese just before the food is produced, the same
advantages are obtained as long as the moisture of the food
thus obtained is,less than 8%, preferably less than 5%õ and
more preferably in the range of 2-5%. In both cases,
lyophilization of the food is avoided. .
The method provides a tasty and protein- enriched,food
which is easy to be stored without the requirement of being
lyophilized; therefore, energy savings are clear as
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compared to methods currently used for the production of
traditional snacks.
Step a) can be performed according to three
alternative approaches. In the first approach, the popcorn
grain is positioned directly onto, and in direct contact
with, a sized amount of the first cheese; for example, the
sized amount of the first cheese is poured into a mould,
and the popcorn grain is then positioned onto the cheese.
In the second approach, the first sized amount of the
first cheese is positioned directly onto the popcorn grain;
for example, the popcorn is first added to the mould, and
the first sized amount of the first cheese is then poured
onto it.
In the third approach, the popcorn grain is either
sprayed with a spray of corn starch or wet with corn
starch; corn starch acts as a glue, thereby allowing the
cheese to adhere to the popcorn grain. For example, a
plurality of popcorn grains coated with a thin layer of
corn starch are mixed within a hopper containing grated
cheese which is then adhered to the surface of the popcorn
grains, which popcorn grains can then be transferred to an
oven for heat treatment. Once the popcorn grains are
heated, the already small amount of corn starch is absorbed
by the cheese, and its presence becomes irrelevant for the
organoleptic characteristics of the food.
Preferably the method comprises the further step of:
d) positioning a second sized amount of the first
cheese onto the popcorn grain. Step d) is time - subsequent
.
step a) and precedes step b). In this circumstance, step b)
provides for heating all of the first cheese up to melt
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and/or cook it and substantially completely enclose the
popcorn grain into a layer of the first cheese.
If steps a) and b) are not be able to completely
enclose the popcorn grain into the first layer of the first
cheese, step d) ensures that the first layer is obtained
substantially over the entire outer surface of the popcorn
endosperm.
Preferably, the sized amounts of cheese are obtained
by grating and sifting the cheese and then measuring the
weight and/ or volume of the sifted particles.
Preferably just before the step b), the first cheese
has a moisture content lower than 35%. More preferably, the
first cheese is a hard texture cheese which is ripened for
at least 3 months prior to be melted, for example a cheese
selected from the group as recited above with reference to
the food according to the present invention.
Preferably each heating step of the first cheese is
carried out arranging the first cheese and the popcorn
grain in a mold in its turn inserted, for a lapse of time
comprised in the range of 20-250 seconds, into a microwave=
oven whose power is comprised in the range of 400-1000 W.
Preferably the medium dimension of the particles of=
the first grated cheese is comprised in the range 0.2-5 mm.
By combining the particle dimension of the cheese with
the , parameters set for the oven- (time, -and power), the -
cheese can be completely melted and/ or cooked (as desired_
and depending on the requirements), and it can be applied
as evenly as possible to the surface of the. popcorn------.
None of the steps contemplates the addition of fat to
the ingredients of the snack.
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Preferably, the method comprises one or more of the
following additional steps:
f) melting, on a first layer of the first cheese,
further layers of a first and/ or second cheese, the latter
being equal to the first cheese or being a cheese with high
- moisture content;
g) mixing the first and/ or second cheese with salt
and/ or pepper and/ or spices and/ or sauces and/ or
flavors;
h) strewing corn starch and/ or salt and/ or pepper
and/ or spices and/ or sauces and/ or flavors on the first
layer of the first cheese and/ or possible further cheese
layers.
In practice, once the protective layer of the first
cheese has been formed over the popcorn, the food may be
further added with flavors, spices or other layers of a
cheese which can even be of a different type than the first
cheese. Corn starch can be used as a natural glue for these
additional ingredients.
. .
Brief Description of the Drawings
Further details of the invention will be evident
anyway from the following description course made with
reference to the attached drawings, in which:
- -
figures 1-3 are schematic sectional
views of,a food according to the present invention;
- -
figure 4 is a schematic view of a first
apparatus for producing a food according to the
present invention;
- -
figure 5 is a schematic view of a
second apparatus for producing a food according to
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the present invention;
- figure 6 is a schematic view of a third
apparatus for producing a food according to the
present invention.
Detailed description of the invention
With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a food 1
according to the invention, comprising a popcorn .grain 2
coated with a layer 3 of a first melted cheese. Popcorn
grain 2 is obtained by heating a corn grain up to make it
explode with ejection of the endosperm. Corn can be heated
using one of the methods known in the art, for example with
hot air or in oil.
The layer 3 of the first melted cheese is preferably
uniform in thickness, and it completely covers the popcorn
grain 2 by directly contacting the respective outer
surface, i.e. the endosperm.
In the example shown in Figure 1, the cheese used for
coating the popcorn grains is of the hard texture type,
preferably Grana Padano. The moisture content of the first
melted cheese is low, generally in the range of 4%+20%. A
low moisture content corresponds to a high salt content,
which promotes a prolonged preservation of the popcorn
grain 2 over time.
Figure 3 shows an alternative, but not preferred,
embodiment of the food I wherein the popcorn grain 2
comprises a portion 2' which is not covered with the layer
3 of the first melted cheese, which is a'cheese of= the low
moisture content type.
Figure 2 shows another alternative embodiment in
which the popcorn grain 2 is coated both with the first
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layer 3 of the first melted cheese completely enclosing it,
and with two additional layers of a first or second cheese
and/or spices/ flavors, referred to by reference numerals 4
and 5 respectively. Particularly, in the embodiment shown
in Figure 2, the layer 4 directly applied to the first
layer 3 is obtained by strewing a tomato sauce reduction
and spices onto the food. The layer 5 is, for example, salt
or a layer of a second cheese which can even be different
from the first cheese, such as a cheese with a high
moisture content. Generally, while the layers 4 and 5 shown
in Figure 2 completely enclose the layer 3 of the first
cheese, they can also be incomplete layers, thereby leaving
one or more portions of layer 3 exposed.
Generally, each of layers 3-5 has a thickness in the
range of 0.5+5 mm and preferably of about 2 mm. When
considering an ordinary size for the popcorn grains, this
thickness can be obtained, for example, by using Grana
Padano in an amount of approximately 5-10 grams.
Figures 1-3 show one popcorn grain 2. However,
generally, the food 1 comprises a plurality of popcorn
grains 2, each being at least partially enclosed into the -
layer 3 of melted cheese. Once the grains have -been
packaged in bulk, they may adhere to one another.
Figure 4 shows an apparatus 10 for producing the food
_1, For convenience, the method- according to thejDresent
invention will be described with reference to this
apparatus, although a unique correlation -between- them
doesn't exist.
The apparatus 10 comprises a unit 11 which is
operable for grating the first cheese. The flakes 12 of
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grated cheese are conveyed by gravity to a vibrating sieve
13 which is adjusted to allow the passage of cheese
particles 14 having an average diameter in the range of
mm.
The cheese particles 14 fall by gravity onto a
conveyor belt 15 comprising a plurality of -food-grade
silicone moulds 16. A spatula 17 delivers the cheese
particles 14, for example Grana Padano particles, into the
moulds 16 while preventing a surplus of cheese from
remaining unused on the conveyor belt 15 externally to the
moulds 16. Therefore, the amount of particles 14 to be fed
to the conveyor belt 15 is feedback- adjusted based on the
speed of the belt.
Generally, the amount of particles 14 to be fed to
the conveyor belt 15 per time unit is measured. For
example, the conveyor 21 receiving the particles 14 from
the sieve 13 is provided with a system for weighing the
amount of particles 14 which are dropped on a per-time
basis. Alternatively, other measurement methods can be
used, for example based on the volume of particles to be
fed to the belt 15.
In Figure 4, the conveyor belt 15 is moved clockwise
to transfer the filled moulds 16 to a microwave oven 19. A
unit 18 for feeding the popcorn grains 2 is located
downstream of t,he spatula 17 and upstream of the clven 19
with respect to the direction of movement of the belt 15.
The grains 2 are poured onto the particles 14 of grated -
cheese within the moulds 16.
Preferably, the oven 19 is operated at .a power of
approximately 900W, and the residence time of the moulds 16
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in the oven is in the range of 20+250 seconds.
In the oven, the cheese particles 14 are melted,
thereby at least partially enclosing the respective popcorn
grain 2 as explained above.
Downstream of the oven 19, the grains 2 coated with
the melted, still warm cheese are discharged from the
conveyor belt 15 and conveyed to a cooling section C
comprising a blower 20 which directs a cold air blade onto
the popcorn grains 2. Once the grains 2 have been cooled at
ambient temperature, they are packaged as the food 1, for
example in packages each containing 30 coated grains.
An optional second conveyor 21', an optional second
sieve 13', etc. are shown in dashed lines as positioned
downstream of the feed unit 18 in order to release a second
sized amount of cheese into the moulds 16 already
containing the popcorn grains 2.
In an embodiment not shown in the Figures, a second
unit for feeding grated cheese onto the popcorn grains 2 as
well as a second oven are located downstream of the oven
19. In this embodiment, once the popcorn grains 2 have been
provided with more grated cheese, they are re-heated. In- -=-
-
this way, the layer 3 of melted cheese on each grain 2 is
increased in thickness, thereby ensuring that. the external
surface of the grain is completely covered. Preferably, the
cheese used is again the f4_rst cheese,. which .is delivered
in sized amounts onto the conveyor belt 15 as described
hereinabove.
In addition, the apparatus 10 is preferably provided
with a device (not shown) for optically checking the grains
2 as they exit from the oven. This device
automatically
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performs an optical analysis of all the grains 2 in order
to detect any abnormalities with respect to the desired
parameters of uniformity and/ or thickness for the layer 3
of cheese. The grains 2 which are not successfully prepared
are discarded.
Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the apparatus
according to the present invention, in which the popcorn
grains 2 are first positioned into the respective moulds
16; the conveyor 21 for delivering the grated cheese 14
onto the grains 2 within the moulds 16 is located
downstream of the feed unit 18 with respect to the
direction of advancement of the belt 15. In this
embodiment, the grains 2 are covered with the grated cheese
14 before entering into the oven 19. The other features of
the apparatus are equivalent with respect to the first
embodiment.
Figure 6 shows a schematic view of a third embodiment
of the apparatus in which the feed unit 18 is feeding the .
popcorn grains 2 directly to the conveyor 21 carryingthe
grated cheese coming from the sieve 13. At least one nozzle
22 sprays the popcorn grains 2 with liquid corn starch; the
corn starch acts as a natural glue -by promoting the
adhesion of the grated cheese to the grains 2 falling into
the moulds 16 which are already substantially covered with
chese.
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